Hutridurga / Uttari Betta
Uttari Betta Sunrise Trek
- Duration
- 2D / 1N2 days · 1 night
- Starts from
- Bangalore
- Trip type
- Trekking
A 5 km night climb to a 3,708 ft hill fort 65 km from Bengaluru, timed so you are at the summit for sunrise.
- Trekking
- Heights
- Nature
- Adventure
Dates
- 31 Oct 20262 days₹1,299
See 4 more datesShow fewer dates
- 7 Nov 20262 days₹1,299
- 14 Nov 20262 days₹1,299
- 21 Nov 20262 days₹1,299
- 28 Nov 20262 days₹1,299
Prices are per person.
The trip
Uttari Betta - locally Hutridurga - is a hill fort about 65 km out of Bengaluru, and one of the easiest big-payoff treks near the city. You leave on Saturday night, climb in the dark, and are standing at 3,708 ft when the sun comes up.
The trail is 5 km round and graded easy, but it is not flat: rugged paths through green foliage, huge boulders, weathered rock-cut steps, and seven old fort gates on the way up. Near the top the Sankareswar temple makes a good place to catch your breath and look over the caves and stone walls that are still standing.
After sunrise you come back down to the base by about 8:00 AM, eat a proper local breakfast in the town nearby, and are back in Bengaluru by around noon - a whole trek done before the weekend has really started.
Good to know: this one is first-timer friendly and works well if you are travelling solo. It runs best in winter (December to February) and summer (March to May). There is no accommodation on this trip - the night is spent on the road in a non-AC push-back-seat vehicle, so eat dinner before you board.
Highlights
Day 2 · 4:00 AMNight Ascent Begins
Day 2 · 6:00 AMSunrise from the Summit
Day by day
Saturday Night - Departure from Bengaluru
The trek starts on Saturday night. Board your non-AC push-back-seat vehicle in Bengaluru, meet the trek lead, get through a few ice-breakers, and settle in for the 65 km run out to the base of Uttari Betta - also called Hutridurga. Eat dinner before you board, and carry a warm layer for the bus. Pick-up locations & timings: 10:30 PM - 10:35 PM: New Udupi Grand, HSR Layout 10:55 PM - 11:05 PM: Yamaha Showroom, Domlur 11:20 PM - 11:25 PM: Yulu Zone near Cubbon Park Signal 11:45 PM - 11:50 PM: KTM Mekhri Circle 12:05 AM - 12:10 AM: Konkan Express near Yeshwanthpur Metro There is no accommodation on this trip - the night is spent on the road, with a short rest at the base before the climb.
- 10:30 PMBengaluru Pick-Ups & Overnight Drive to the BaseBoard at your chosen pick-up point, meet the trek lead, get through the ice-breakers and settle in for the 65 km drive out. A light nap on the way is the plan.
Sunday - Fort Trail, Sunrise & the Ride Home
You reach the base around 3:00 AM, stretch, pull on a layer and gather for a short briefing. The climb starts at 4:00 AM in the dark: 5 km round, up through green foliage, huge boulders and weathered rock-cut steps, past the seven gates of the old hill fort. Near the top the Sankareswar temple is a good place to catch your breath before the 3,708 ft summit, where you sit and wait for the sun to come over the horizon. You are back at the base by about 8:00 AM, with a hot local breakfast in the town nearby before the drive back into Bengaluru by around 12:00 noon. Timings are indicative and can shift with traffic or weather, but the 4:00 AM start is fixed - the whole point is being at the top for sunrise.
- 03:00 AMArrival at the Base Village & Pre-Trek BriefingThe vehicle reaches Uttari village in the small hours. Stretch, pull on a warm layer and gather for a short briefing from your trek leader before the climb.
- 4:00 AMNight Ascent Begins (a highlight)Headlamps on, out of a dark and silent village and onto the trail. The 5 km round climb starts here, through green foliage and over weathered stone.
- 5:30 AMFort Gates, Boulders & Rock-Cut StepsUttari Betta is also Hutridurga, a hill fort with seven gates. The path threads between huge boulders and up rock-cut steps, with the old walls appearing out of the dark.
- 6:00 AMSunrise from the Summit (a highlight)3,708 ft up, with the whole Deccan skyline in front of you. Sit still for the ten minutes it takes the light to come over the horizon.
- 7:00 AMSankareswar Temple & the Fort RuinsA breather at the feet of the Sankareswar temple near the top, with time to look at the caves and the stone walls that are still standing.
- 8:00 AMDescent to the BaseBack down the same trail in daylight, which looks nothing like it did on the way up. You are at the base by around 8:00 AM.
- 9:00 AMBreakfast in the Local TownA proper hot South Indian breakfast at a local place near the base. This is the one meal included in the package.
- 10:00 AMReturn Drive & Drop-Offs in BengaluruThe 65 km drive back to the city, with drop-offs at the same points. Expect to be home by around 12:00 noon, with the whole Sunday still ahead of you.
What’s included
4 items · extras
Gear & extras, 4 items
- Forest Department permits and entry fees
- Breakfast at a local eatery after the trek
- Round-trip non-AC transport from Bangalore in a push-back-seat vehicle
- Trained outdoor leader and a local guide with the group
Not included, 5 items
- Anything not expressly mentioned in the inclusions
- Insurance of any kind (health, medical, life or accidental)
- Any meals beyond the post-trek breakfast
- Accommodation - there is no stay on this trip
- Personal expenses of any kind
Questions about this trip
What should I carry?
A soft copy of your Aadhaar or Voter ID, which is mandatory for the forest permits. Then: warm layers or a fleece jacket for the pre-dawn cold, a torch or headlamp, a small backpack, trekking shoes with good grip, a compact raincoat or bag cover, a cap and sunscreen for the walk down, energy bars, and two one-litre water bottles.
How hard is the trek, and who can join?
It is graded easy: about 5 km round trip to 3,708 ft, done in the dark on the way up. There are boulders and rock-cut steps rather than a smooth path, so shoes with grip and a headlamp matter more than fitness. First-timers do this trek regularly, ages 7 and above can join, and groups are capped at 20.
What time do we leave and get back?
Pick-ups start at 10:30 PM on Saturday night from HSR Layout and run through Domlur, Cubbon Park, Mekhri Circle and Yeshwanthpur until about 12:10 AM. You reach the base around 3:00 AM, start climbing at 4:00 AM, and are back at the Bengaluru drop points by around 12:00 noon on Sunday.
Where do we sleep, and what about food?
There is no accommodation on this trip. The night is spent on the road in a non-AC vehicle with push-back seats, so please eat dinner before you board and carry a warm layer for the bus. The one meal covered is breakfast at a local eatery after the trek. Anything else you eat on the way is on you.
How closely is the timeline followed?
Timings are indicative and can shift with traffic, weather or forest department restrictions, though the 4:00 AM start is fixed because the whole point is being at the summit for sunrise. The trek is at its best in winter (December to February) and summer (March to May).
Read before you go
- Bandaje Falls Trek 2026: Route, Rules, Cost from BangaloreTravel Guide · 13 min read
- Karnataka Trek Online Booking 2026: Permits and RulesTravel Guide · 10 min read
- Travel Buddies in Bangalore: Find Your Weekend Crew (2026)City Guide · 13 min read
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